Galangin inhibits cell invasion by suppressing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inducing apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma

Galangin, a flavonoid extracted from the root of the Alpinia officinarum Hence, has been shown to have anticancer properties against several types of cancer cells. However, the influence of galangin on human renal cancer cells remains to be elucidated. In the present study, proliferation of 786-0 and Caki-1 cells was suppressed following exposure to various doses of galangin. Cell invasion and wound healing assays were used to observe the effect of galangin on invasion and migration. The results demonstrated that Galangin inhibited cell invasion by suppressing the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), with an increase in the expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression levels of N-cadherin and vimentin. The apoptosis induced by galangin was analyzed by flow cytometry. The results revealed that galangin induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important contributing factor for the apoptosis of various types of cancer cell. The dichlorofluorescein-diacetate method was used to determine the level of ROS. Galangin induced the accumulation of intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde, and decreased the activities of total antioxidant and superoxide dismutase in renal cell carcinoma cells. Galangin exerted an antiproliferative effect and inhibited renal cell carcinoma invasion by suppressing the EMT. This treatment also induced apoptosis, accompanied by the production of ROS. Therefore, the present data suggested that galangin may have beneficial effects by preventing renal cell carcinoma growth, inhibiting cell invasion via the EMT and inducing cell apoptosis.